Improving students' work by showcasing itStudents should be given opportunities to create work for audiences outside of the classroom, said Ron Berger, chief program officer for Expeditionary Learning Schools. He writes in this blog post about students who have created art and YouTube videos for audiences other than their peers and how the act of completing "work of value" changes students and improves the quality of their work. Edutopia.org/Ron Berger's blog
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3 education trends for 2013This year is expected to bring rapid change to education, particularly with the anticipated implementation of Common Core State Standards, Annie Murphy Paul writes in this blog post. The new year also is expected to include better use of education technology, as well as a dose of reality regarding what technology can -- and cannot do -- for students, she writes. It's also likely, she writes, that educators will be discussing effective ways to use resources to educate students outside of the classroom. KQED.org/Mind/Shift blog
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Now learning the ABCs is as easy as uno, dos, tres.Introducing Imagine Learning Español, a new educational software solution designed to build literacy and language proficiency in Spanish for pre-K and kindergarten students. It's a better way to give your Spanish-speaking students a strong foundation to build on. Click here to see the program in action.

School Leadership

The cost of antagonistic attitudes toward teachersTeacher Bill Ferriter in this blog post writes about several confrontational comments left on an online newspaper article about a teacher. The comments, he writes, do nothing to further the teaching profession, and actually could deter some people from entering the classroom at a time when such over-the-top comments are more frequently being directed at teachers. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Education
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"Should be on every teacher's must-read list" (Jim Trelease). In Defense of Read-Aloud, by Steven Layne, challenges and inspires teachers of all grades and subjects to make the most of this essential literacy practice. Includes valuable tips on preparation, book selection, and how to read with expression to engage students. Preview the entire book online!

Technology in the Classroom

Mass., Ohio partner to develop online tool for teachersAn online "instructional improvement system" is being developed for teachers by the education departments in Ohio and Massachusetts. The tool will allow teachers to individualize instruction for students, using resources, such as lesson plans and tests, available online. The new system should be available to teachers in both states in the 2013-14 school year, and Race to the Top grants are being used to fund the project. The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)
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How to Flip Your Students' EngagementFlipped instruction starts with engaging resources. It also requires changes to instructional content, school culture, and teacher training to help unleash its ultimate potential. Learn more by downloading this FREE white paper on how you can successfully flip your classrooms.

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by ASCD SmartBrief readers in the past week.

Report: More local funds paying for special education in Calif. schoolsAs costs to educate students with disabilities have risen and state and federal special-education funding has remained steady, the share of local funds used to pay for special-education services in California has increased to 39% from 32%, between 2005 and 2011, according to a report from the state Legislative Analyst's Office. The report predicts growth in the amount of funds needed to serve this student population, as there has been a 240% increase in diagnoses of students with autism and a 120% rise in the number of students with low-incidence disabilities that require costly services. San Francisco Chronicle/The Associated Press
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Data show diminished enrollment in remedial college coursesFewer college freshmen are having to enroll in remedial courses, according to the National Center for Education Statistics -- 20.4% of freshmen in 2007-08, down from 26.3% in 1999-2000, Caralee Adams writes in this blog post. The data also show that fewer white students enrolled in remedial courses than their peers, and students in private colleges also were less likely to need remedial courses, she writes. Education Week/College Bound blog
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ASCD News

Common Core State Standards: A good fit for gifted education?In a guest Inservice post educator and ASCD Common Core Professional Development Institute presenter Jennifer G. Beasley blogs about what the new standards mean for high-ability students. Beasley explains what's at the heart of the standards, emphasizing that this knowledge is key to establishing whether or not they are a good fit for advanced learners. And she discusses why "challenging, high-quality curriculum is still in the hands of the experts, the teachers." Read on.

Dan Meyer on real-world mathHow does Dan Meyer make learning math enjoyable and interesting? He makes math problems "irresistible" to students, "so they have to know the answer." With the help of a camera, a tripod, and some creativity, he achieves this goal by taking students' interest and layering math on top of it. In an ASCD Express video, Meyer shares several engaging scenarios that he's recorded for his class. Watch.